Prep Football: Aztecs, 'Rabbits to write another Axe Game chapter

A new chapter in the Axe Game means another chance for players to write their own stories, Victor Valley head coach Leland Eudy said.

Barstow (3-3, 0-1 Desert Sky League) and Victor Valley (0-5-1, 0-0 DSL) meet for the 89th Axe Game at 7 p.m. tonight at Ray Moore Stadium, and if Barstow senior running back James Noble III has his way, he'll be writing a story with some similarities from a game nearly a decade ago.

Noble III is the younger brother of James Noble II, who capped his career as a Barstow running back with a 2,518-yard and 28-touchdown campaign in 2003. The two share the same name. The younger Noble wears number five on his jersey just like his older brother.The two agree their styles are different — Noble II was faster while Noble III is stronger. But their senior-year results have been remarkably similar.

Noble III has carried the ball 180 times for 1,303 yards and 11 touchdowns, already topping his junior campaign in which he finished with 673 yards and five touchdowns. He's actually averaging more yards per game than his older brother did in his senior season.

But what's most important right now, he said, is winning the Axe just like his brother did in his senior season.

"This is the most important thing right here," Noble III said. "Every other game is practice right now. I really want the Axe."

The Aztecs lead the series 46-38-4, but haven't owned the Axe since 2008.

Barstow broke Victor Valley's two year-hold on the Axe the in 2003. In that game, Noble II ran for 256 yards and two crucial second half touchdowns, one from 56 yards the other from 28, as the Aztecs won 14-0.

Noble now lives in Dallas, but regularly flies back for his brother's games. He plans to be in attendance tonight to watch his brother try to win an Axe Game of his own.

Eudy said he doesn't remember that 2003 game specifically among the dozens of Axe Games he's participated in. But the Noble name is as familiar as 10 other last names on the Barstow roster.

"Great kid. His brother was a great kid when he played," Eudy said. "Great family. I've seen him on film I've seen (Noble III) perform. He definitely carries the load for them."

The Jackrabbits might be without sophomore quarterback Eric Turner, who sat last week against Serrano with an ankle injury. Eudy said he's unsure if Turner will be healthy enough to play or how effective he'll be if he can play, but said he has confidence in backup quarterback Daniel Walker. Meanwhile, Barstow head coach Mike Esposito said the Aztecs are the healthiest they've been all season.

While Eudy's been immersed in the game since the late '60s when he played for Victor Valley, Esposito is relatively new to the game but has received a quick education. He was hired as the Aztecs coach before last season after spending time at Southwest High School in San Diego. He was impressed with the enthusiasm from the community ahead of the game last year.

"I had a lot of people tell me about it," Esposito said. "As you experience the week before it's ungodly. The student body is on fire right now. It's just unreal."

He said he been receiving about 30 to 40 emails a day from people he doesn't know, but who tell him Barstow needs to regain the Axe.

The last four Axe Games have been determined by an average of 6.25 points, and Eudy said he sees another good one coming up.

"Both sides are going to go out there and write whatever story they are going to write," Eudy said. "The important story coming up is what's going to happen Friday night. I just know in my mind I see a good football game coming up."

Matthew Peters can be reached at mpeters@vvdailypress.com or (760) 955-5365.

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